I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1117 Aoto, Kondo, and Saito's "Infernal Affairs Plan"! [5000]

As early as four months ago, Aoto had discovered Ito Kashitaro's disloyal intentions.

Kashitaro Ito ultimately underestimated Aoto's control over the Shinsengumi.

The Seido has two systems for monitoring the Shinsengumi: one is the overt Metropolitan Police Department, and the other is the covert Ninth Division.

In a sense, the status and functions of the Ninth Division's ninjas are very similar to those of the Ming Dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard! They only obey Qing Deng and are responsible for both gathering intelligence on the enemy and monitoring officials internally!
It's no exaggeration to say that Aoto's control over the Shinsengumi is comprehensive and leaves no blind spots! No matter who it is, whether it's a high-ranking officer or an ordinary member, he can always quickly detect any unusual behavior!
In other words, from the very beginning, all of Ito Kashitaro's actions were under Aoto's control!
The former jumped and shouted on the stage, thinking he was the only protagonist, but he didn't know that Qing Deng was sitting in the audience watching his performance and occasionally making sneering noises.

If Aoto wanted to, he could easily crush Ito Kashitaro like an insect at any time.

However, he did not do so.

Killing Ito Kashitaro would be easy.

However, this approach yields no profit; at best, it eliminates an internal threat.

Since we're going to get rid of him anyway, why not try to gain even greater benefits?

Therefore, Qingdeng devised a bold plan: to use it as bait to lure out an even bigger prey!
When Ito Kashitaro led his followers to break away from the Shinsengumi, he would most likely contact the "Western Country Alliance" to seek assistance.

Therefore, we might as well let Ito Kashitaro and his cronies defect, and then follow the trail to strike down the "Western Alliance" behind them!
In order to carry out this plan, "Infernal Affairs" is indispensable.

Qing Deng pondered for a long time about who to send as an undercover agent.

If your rank is too low, you won't be taken seriously by Ito Kashitaro, and therefore you won't be able to access important core information.

Furthermore, after carefully observing Ito Kashitaro, Aoto suddenly realized something from various clues: the other party was very determined to compete with him.

Based on his own past experience, Qing Deng dared to assert that people like Ito Kashitaro would be keen to steal their rivals' confidants!
Only in this way can he satisfy his competitive spirit of "I am indeed better than that person".

This mentality is actually a distorted form of competition.

In conclusion, the person sent to go undercover must have a certain status, preferably someone who is quite close to Aoto. Only in this way can we maximize the chances of luring Ito Kashitaro into the trap.

He needed to have an exceptionally close relationship with Aoto Aoto, be bold and meticulous, and be able to complete difficult undercover missions alone in the enemy camp... After listing all these requirements, the only person who met them was Saito Hajime!

Although the Shinsengumi has now become a behemoth with tens of thousands of soldiers, there are still only a handful of trusted confidants whom Aoto can truly rely on, among whom Saito Hajime is the most favored.

Who wouldn't like a reliable guy who's ruthless, doesn't talk much, and always completes tasks with quality and quantity?
No matter how dangerous the situation, Saito Hajime can always think calmly. Because he rarely smiles and has few expressions, it is difficult for outsiders to see through his thoughts based on his demeanor. He is an excellent candidate for an undercover agent.

In addition, Aoto had another consideration in choosing Saito Hajime: to take a risk and catch Ito Kashitaro off guard!
Despite having a large number of ninjas under his command, he insisted on sending Saito Hajime, who held a high position and had great power, to be an undercover agent—Ito Kashitaro probably never imagined that Aoto would be so bold!

As it turns out, you can always trust Saito Hajime.

When Aoto summoned Saito Hajime and recounted the mission details to him from beginning to end, he nodded almost without hesitation:

"I understand."

And so, an unconventional "deception operation" began!

Aoto and Saito Hajime first carried out a self-inflicted injury scheme, putting on a good show at the "team meeting" to create the illusion of "discord between the ruler and his subjects".

As expected, Ito Kashitaro quickly took the bait.

No sooner had that unpleasant "team meeting" ended than Ito Kashitaro immediately approached Saito Hajime and invited him to attend classes at the "Ito Juku" in an attempt to further win him over.

What happened after that is self-evident.

With his innate "reliable aura," Saito Hajime gradually gained Ito Kashitaro's trust and quickly infiltrated the "Ito faction."

Just as Saito Hajime's infiltration was progressing steadily, an unexpected incident suddenly occurred—Kondo Isami suddenly approached Aoto.

He recounted in detail the entire process of how Ito Kashitaro recruited him, and then resolutely requested to join the scheme as an inside man to help Aoto eliminate the "Ito faction"—at that time, he was unaware of Aoto and Saito Hajime's "double agent plan".

Aoto was not surprised by Kondo Isami's initiative to volunteer—because he had known all along that Ito Kashitaro and Kondo Isami had unusual contact!

Even if Qing Deng were to think with his backside, he would know why Ito Kashitaro was frequently seeking out Kondo Isami.

Faced with Ito Kashitaro's persuasion, what choice will Kondo Isami ultimately make?

It would be impossible for Qing Deng not to care.

After all, the other party was not only one of his mentors in swordsmanship, but also his close friend and sworn brother.

However, for various reasons, Aoto did not interfere, but quietly waited for Kondo Isami's decision.

Should they defect from the Shinsengumi with Ito Kashitaro? Or should they continue to stand by his side?
Fortunately, the choice Kondo Isami ultimately made did not cause him any distress.

Although the original plan only required Saito Hajime as an undercover agent, having an extra undercover agent would give them an extra chance to subdue Ito Kashitaro.

Thus, following Saito Hajime, Kondo Isami also became a member of the "Infernal Affairs Project".

After "defecting" from the Shinsengumi, Kondo Isami and Saito Hajime worked together and quickly gathered a large amount of important intelligence.

Location of the "Ito Faction's" stronghold; list of "Ito Faction" members; those who had contact with Ito Kashitaro...

Thanks to the intelligence relayed back by Kondo Isami and Saito Hajime, Aoto learned about the "Satsuma Imperial Thieves" unit for the first time.

"Satsuma's Royal Thieves" - It is said that this was a secret unit established by Saigo Kichinosuke, whose members were mostly rough and unruly ronin, responsible for disrupting the security of towns and cities such as Kyoto, Otsu, Osaka, and Edo.

In simple terms, this unit's function is similar to that of the "Luanbo" of the Warring States period, which specializes in disrupting the enemy's rear.

The recent unrest in the capital region is the work of Satsuma's imperial thieves.

After Ito Kashitaro led his men to Kyoto, he immediately contacted the Satsuma court's thieves in hopes of obtaining aid from the Southern Court.

Thanks to this, the names and locations of key members of the Satsuma royal thieves, such as Imuta Shohei and Masami Kyunosuke, were all added to Aoto's surveillance list.

If conditions permit, Aoto wants Kondo Isami and Saito Ichiro to remain undercover for a while longer and gather more intelligence.

Unfortunately, if we don't close the net quickly, Ito Kashitaro and his gang might leave Kyoto—and if that happens, it won't be so easy to wipe them out.

If a major traitor like Ito Kashitaro is not executed quickly, it will only damage the morale of our side.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Qing Deng decided to launch the "Operation Ito Annihilation" tonight.

In conclusion, it is thanks to the forbearance and humiliation of Kondo Isami and Saito Hajime that we have such a magnificent scene tonight.

After tonight, the "Ito Faction" will be wiped out! The title of "Imperial Mausoleum Guardians" will be lost to the annals of history before it has even been made public!

Even the Satsuma thief who has recently caused considerable trouble for the Shinsengumi has suffered a significant blow!

Without a doubt, this was the first major victory of the Northern Dynasty over the Southern Dynasty since the reappearance of the "Northern and Southern Dynasties"!

……

……

After instructing them to "clean up the scene and leave no bloodstains," Aoto left Aburakōji side by side with Kondo Isami.

No sooner had they left than they spotted a familiar figure—Hijikata Toshizo, arms crossed, leaning against an earthen wall.

Upon seeing Aoto and Kondo Isami arrive, Hijikata Toshizo straightened up and asked softly:
"finished?"

Kondo Isami nodded:

"Well, it's over."

Hijikata Toshizo let out a silent sigh of relief:

"That's good……"

"Katsu, thank goodness you didn't side with Ito Kashitaro."

"Otherwise, when Xiao Si wakes up, I won't know how to explain to her that 'I killed A Sheng'."

After saying that, he lifted his foot and followed Aoto and Kondo Isami.

The three of them lined up in a horizontal line—Aoto in the middle, Hijikata Toshizo on the left, and Kondo Isami on the right—shoulder to shoulder, and slowly walked back to the Mibu camp.

As soon as Hijikata Toshizo finished speaking, Kondo Isami chuckled lightly.
"To be honest, there was a time when I did have the idea of ​​'leaving the Shinsengumi'."

Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo were not alarmed by Kondo Isami's "terrifying words," but simply walked forward silently, listening attentively.

Kondo Isami gently continued the conversation:
"Back then, when I went to Luoyang with everyone, I was full of ambition, thinking about making achievements and bringing glory to my family."

"I never imagined that you guys were all monsters."

"In the blink of an eye, you all spread your wings and flew to a height that I could not see even with my best eyesight."

"It's a pity that although I have the title of 'Chief of the Censorate,' I have never accomplished anything worthwhile." "Over the years, the only commendable achievement is that I was the first to capture Ikedaya."

"I thought that once the Shinsengumi grew stronger, I could show off my power in front of the younger generation."

"But as a result, after the new election group grew into a huge army, talented juniors such as Soma Kazue, Nakazawa Sadagi, Nakazawa Koto, and Oishi Kuwajiro emerged one after another, making it even harder for me to stand out."

"Now that I think about it carefully, there is a deeper reason why I had the idea of ​​'leaving the Shinsengumi': I wanted to get away from you guys."

"It's so uncomfortable to be around you monsters."

"Although this feeling of frustration is very agonizing, deep in my mind, a voice keeps telling me: if I really leave the Shinsengumi because of these weak reasons, then I will never be able to be your elder brother again."

"I want to protect Shieikan, I want to protect everyone, and I want to become the big brother you can always rely on."

Compared to this wish, worldly fame and fortune seem insignificant.

After listening to Kondo Isami's heartfelt words, Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo exchanged a glance and then chuckled softly.

Kondo Yuya smiled as well.

The three of them laughed as they walked, bathed in the autumn breeze... just like always.

Suddenly, Kondo Isami spoke in a calm yet firm tone:

"Tachibana-kun, once the world is at peace, I want to resign from all my official positions and return to Edo to run the Shieikan."

Hijikata Toshizo raised an eyebrow:

"Ah Sheng, are you serious?"

Even Qing Deng couldn't help but show surprise after hearing this.

Kondo smiled:
"of course it's true."

"I have no other skills besides swordsmanship."

"In that case, I'll go back to the place that suits me best."

"The Shiwei Hall is the culmination of my father's life's work; it would be a real pity to leave it abandoned."

Currently, the people in charge of Shieikan are Kondo Fumi (Kondo Isami's mother) and Souji's older sister, Okita Hikaru.

After Kondo Shusuke's death in battle, Shieikan was left in an awkward situation of being leaderless.

The reason for this is that all those qualified to take charge of the Imperial Guard are now under Qing Deng's command.

Left with no other choice, Kondo Fumi and Okita Hikaru, two women, had to step in to save face.

Although they are heroines, they are not professional managers, nor are they sword masters who are proficient in the Natural Rinpoche style.

All they could do was barely keep the structure of the testing center from collapsing.

After a pause, Kondo Isami continued:

"Besides... this sword club is our home."

"Since it's a home, someone has to take care of it."

"Otherwise, when you suddenly feel like going home one day, you'll only find a deserted doorway. How lonely would that be?"

Seeing that Kondo Isami genuinely wanted to retire and live a peaceful life after the country was at peace, a dark glint flashed in Aoto's eyes, but he quickly concealed it and instead joked:

"In that case, you'd better take good care of the courtyard of the Shieikan, and it would be best to plant a few cherry blossom trees."

"Xiao Si complained to me more than once that the courtyard of the Shiwei Hall was too monotonous, with not a single flower to admire."

Kondo Isami chuckled to himself:
"Our Swordplay Hall is a sword-fighting hall, not a nobleman's private residence. Why would we need such a beautiful courtyard?"

"Very well... Since it's Xiaosi's wish, I might consider it."

"I will try to plant cherry blossom trees in the garden of Shieikan later."

Hijikata Toshizo chuckled and suddenly interjected:

"In that case, let's plant some medicinal herbs while we're at it."

"There are large tracts of land in the courtyard of the Shieikan Museum that are left unused, which I have always felt is a pity."

"Why not make use of all this land and plant it full of medicinal herbs?"

"In this way, when I want to retire someday, I can rely on these herbs to pick up my old job as a 'medicine seller' again."

Qingdeng nodded solemnly:

"Hmm, that's a good idea. To be honest, I've always wanted to grow vegetables in the courtyard of the Shieikan."

Kondo Isami rebuked him impatiently:
"Not bad at all! One wants to plant cherry blossom trees, another wants to plant medicinal herbs, and yet another wants to plant vegetables. Where in our courtyard do we have enough space for you to plant all sorts of things? Since we are a samurai family, we should plant more arrow bamboo!"

The three of them engaged in a long, tedious, but enjoyable discussion about "how to manage the courtyard of Shieikan".

The three men's laughter rose and fell, blending into the night and drifting into the distance.

……

……

Satsuma Domain, Kagoshima Castle —

"Ryoma, Shintaro, thank you for your hard work!"

Seated in the main seat, Saigo Kinosuke looked at Sakamoto Ryoma and Nakaoka Shintaro with a smile on his face.

"Without your tireless efforts, the formation of the 'Western Alliance' would have been far more difficult!"

"On behalf of all righteous people in the world, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to you!"

Having said that, Saigo Kinosuke bowed deeply and paid his respects to the two people in front of him with utmost solemnity.

Sakamoto Ryoma and Nakaoka Shintaro hurriedly returned the greeting without any distinction between them.

Shintaro Nakaoka said loudly:

"Lord Saigo, you flatter us! We were merely doing what we were supposed to do!"

Both sides were extremely polite, and the air inside and outside the room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere!
Based on their achievements, Sakamoto Ryoma and Nakaoka Shintaro certainly deserve to be treated with respect by Saigo Kichinosuke.

With lightning speed, he quickly persuaded the Tosa and Hizen domains, making the formation of the "Western Country Alliance" far exceed Saigo Kichinosuke's expectations... Such a great achievement deserves no reward, no matter how generous!
Just as the guests and hosts were enjoying themselves, Sakamoto Ryoma suddenly spoke up:
"Mr. Saigo, it's a pleasure to meet you today. There's something I'd like to discuss with you!"

Before the other party could respond, Sakamoto Ryoma began to speak loudly on his own:
"Saigo-kun, after defeating Tachibana Aoto, please do not retaliate against 'Hokucho'! Please subdue 'Hokucho' with a policy of appeasement!"

The moment those words were spoken… in an instant… truly an instant! The joyful atmosphere vanished!

Instead, a solemn and dignified atmosphere prevailed!
Saigo Kinosuke frowned slightly, his eyelids drooped, and two beams of light shot straight at Sakamoto Ryoma.

"Oh? Sakamoto-kun? Are you giving me advice?"

As he asked the question, he curled the corners of his mouth into a smile that was devoid of any warmth.

Sakamoto Ryoma raised his head, met Saigo Kinosuke's gaze with an air of self-righteousness, and replied without hesitation:

"Indeed, that is exactly right! Please forgive my bluntness, but taking retaliatory action against the 'Northern Dynasty' is absolutely unacceptable! Any action that would result in massive casualties is unacceptable!"

"..."

Saigo Kinosuke did not respond immediately, but simply smiled and gazed at Sakamoto Ryoma with a meaningful look.

In this deathly silence, Shintaro Ooka displayed an incredibly fascinating range of expressions.

The smile on Sakamoto Ryoma's face froze the moment he spoke.

Immediately afterwards, the smile turned into a complex expression of half sadness and half annoyance.

At that moment, he turned his head and cast an "emotionally" look at Sakamoto Ryoma.

"You brat! What nonsense are you spouting now!" —Even though Shintaro Ooka didn't say anything, everyone present could hear the shout.

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(End of this chapter)